Improved door-spring



UNTTE STATEs PATENT EETCE.

wiLLIAM r. Boor, or GENEVA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED DOOR-SPRlNG.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,30, dated July 21, 1863; antedated March 7, 1863.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM T. Roo'r, of Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Attachments for Closing Doors, Gates, Sac.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l is a plan of my improved attachment connected with a door and its seat, the

door being represented as partly open Fig. 2, an edge view of the spring attachment; Fig. 3, a perspective view ofthe supporting` or spring portion of the case detached form its fellow; Fig. 4, a perspective View of the drum or band portion ot' the'case also detached from its fel-y low; Figs. 5 and 6, horizontal sections of the case with themainsprin g removed,in the plane of the red line, Fig. 2, the former showing the band or strap entirely wound up and the latter as entirely unwound.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My improved device is of that character in which acase or drum is used attached to the seat or casing of the door, having winding on its periphery a band whose outer extremity is connected with the door, and which is actuated by means ot a mainspring within that coils or winds up when the door is opened, but uncoils to produce the reaction in closing the door. The case is composed of two parts, A and B, being respectively provided with hollow cylindrical projections a, and b, iitting one within the other, thus forming a drum for i y hole in the said part A, which turns around it, and is thus sustained in place. The bearing is secured to the wood-work by means ot suitable lngs or tlanges,f f, through which pass screws or nails. Within the cylindrical projection a of this part of the case rest-s a dat coiled spring, I, or its equivalent, one end loeing fastened at g to the axis and the other end at h to the side ot' the cylinder, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. Thus, as the case is turned in the direction of the arrow, the spring is wound up, and vice versa. This arrangement ot" the spring itself does not differ materially from other devices of this class. The other or band portion B ofthe case is also provided with a central hole for fitting over the aXis d, and its cylinder is of just such size as to closely inclose and embrace that on the part A when in place, but still to allow each individual part of the case to turn free and independent ofthe other. In the edge or rim of the cylinder b, at equal distances apart, are made a suitable number of notches, t' t', Fig. 4, and at the base ot' the cylinder a are made one, two, three, or more teeth, 7c 7c, Fig. 3, of corresponding shape, which fit into the notches when the parts are in place. The teeth point away from the direction of motion of the part A in winding up the spring, and consequently the notches point in the opposite direction. It is manifest that in turning the two parts of the case in opposite directions, or in turning one while the other is held stationary, that the spring I may be wound, up to any degree ot' stiliness desired, and held there as the notches and teeth t' lo engage. It is only necessary to insure this engagement, or, in other words, prevent the teeth and notches from slipping.- To accomplish this, I secure around the axis d, outside the case, an ordinary spiral spring, l, or its equivalent, Fig. 2, resting against a washer, m, which in turn is held in place and adjusted by means ot' an adjusting-screw, a, screwing to the axis in any convenient manner, being represented in the drawings as enteringa hole, o, Fig. 3, in its end. It will be readily perceived, that as this screw is adjusted the spring lis made to press with a greater or less degree ot' force against the side of the case, thus, not only allowing the mainspring Ito be wound up without difficulty, but also securely holding the two parts of the case together. To the periphery of the outer cylinders, b, is secured, in any convenient manner, the end of a band or strap, E, the attachment in the drawings being a screw-head or projection, over which fits a hole made in the band, as indicated at p, Fig. 4. To accomplish the result I have in view, this band is made of considerable thickness-say about one-eighth of an inch, more or lessin a doorspring for a common door, and as a consequence it is necessarily made of leather, cloth, or some equivalent iiexible material that will easily wind. To the outer exremity of the band is secured a spur or projection, r, conveniently constituting a portion of the metal that attaches to the door, extending outward sufficiently from the band to strike against a stop, s, formed by thelugor shoulder f,projectl ing so as to reach to the edge of the case and prevent the spur from being drawn through, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 5, which shows the spur fully drawn up to the stop. A stop is provided on each side of the case, so as to adapt the device to either right or left hand doors. It is apparent that if the outer end of the band is held stationary the mainspring may be wound up by turning the parts of the case in opposite directions, so as to give a greater or less degree of reaction, to adapt the device to doors of greater or less size or weight, for if the spring is already partially wound it will present a greater resistance in winding it still farther by opening the door than if it is perfectly unwound at first. The arrangement is thus perfectly adapted to closing either large or small doors or gates, saving the trouble of making different sizes for different uses. The notches and teeth t' k, by being situated within the case, are in the most compact and least exposed condition, and do not interfere in the least with the perfect action of the device.

I am aware that a ratchet and pawl connected with the case have before been used for accomplishing an adjustment of the mainspring, but such I do not claim. In such an arrangement theV cost is not only largely increased in the aggregate, butit renders the case unsightly and inconvenient. The greatest objection, however, is that by thus being exposed the device is extremely liable to accident, as a slight touch of any kind is sufficient to remove the small point of the pawl from its ratchettooth and let the spring free. The motion of the case or drum itself in opening the door is sufficient to frequently disarrange the parts, especially as there is no pressure on the pawl to keep it in place. I overcome this difli culty in the simplest and most effective manner, the constant pressure of the side spring, Z, applying to the part B of the case, to keep it in place and holding the parts firmly together. The adjustment produced by the screw n insures any desired amount of pressure of the spring l so that in winding up the mainspring the parts A B may be loosened, so as to turn easily, and when the action is accomplished they may be adjusted firmly together, so that there can be no possible escape of the notches and teeth t' k.

By the use of the thick ileXible band or strap E, winding upon itself, in the narrow space inclosed between the rims or flanges c c of the case, I accomplish an effect that is very essential, and which is accomplished in other devices only by the use of a fusee-wheel. When the door first commences to open, the reaction required to close it is but very slight, but when fully open the reaction required is greatly increased. This is partially compensated for by the increased stidness of the spring; but this is not sufficient, lespecially in heavy doors or gates. It isnecessary to vary the size of the coil of band to accomplish this. Thus, when the door rst commences to open, the band is fully wound up, present ing a large radius, as in Fig. 5; but when open, the band is unwound, presenting only a small radius, as in Fig. 6. This obviously varies the leverage, it being the greatest when the radius is the least, or when the door is open. that is accomplished by the use of a fuseewheel, while great economy of cost and space are secured, and the band always works on the same plane at all times, while in a fuseewheel it is constantly changing. By the use of the spur r and the stops s s the band is prevented from being drawn through and becoming unwound, and the spring broken or injured if it becomes detached from the door by accident or otherwise. By the employment of the stops on opposite sides the arrangement is adapted to use with righ-t and left hand doors with the same effect. The spur and stop enable the device to be taken oif the bracket or door in summer when the spring is not required, and also enables the springs to be packed for shipment without liability to injury or derangement of the parts.

I do not claim the use of a ratchet and pawl for adjusting the mainspring to different degrees of resistance; nor do I claim the use of a fusee-wheel for graduating the leverage on the door; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the parts A B of the case,provided with the notches and teeth t' 7c, of the coiled spring l, or equivalent, and adjusting-screw n,for the purpose of adjusting the mainsprin g to greater or less degrees of resistance, and for holding the said parts of the case together, arranged and operating sub` stantially as herein described.

2. The double stops s s, situated, respectively,on opposite sides of the drum,and forming a part of the support or bearing 0f the This simple device accomplishes all same, in combination with the spur r, for the and adjusting screw msubstantially as herein purpose of preventing the band from being set forth.

drawn through, and for adapting the device In witness whereof I have hereunto signed to both right and left hand doors, as herein my name in the presence of two subscribing l specied. Witnesses.

' 3. The special construction, arrangement, W. T. ROOT.

and combination of the whole device, oonsist- Witnesses:

l: y ing, essentially, of the case A B, mainspring J. FRASER,

I, band E, spur and stops 1" s, side spring, l, WV. A. LODER. 

